[petersonk01]

My husband and I are looking for homes in Fairfield county. We currently live in Manhattan. After a day out with a real estate agent looking at Darien, New Canaan, and Rowayton, we were captured by the charm of Rowayton and began focusing our search there...until we mentioned this to friends and colleagues.

We do not currently have children, but do hope for them in the near future. EVERYONE who has made the move to CT from NYC has indicated that people who move to Rowayton only stay until their children are middle school age at which point they ALL move to Darien or New Canaan where the middle and high schools are supposedly far superior...or they stay in Rowayton and take on the expense of putting their kids in private school. Can anyone speak to this?

[glxyman21]

Rowayton is a section of the city of Norwalk, and thus falls within the Norwalk School District. The schools are underperforming and do have city like issues. Norwalk's home prices a far more reasonable than the rest of lower Fairfield county, but still not that cheap, and this is part of the reason why, along with a somewhat increased crime rate to its suburban neighbors. Like most towns that have these "villages" or "sections" within their borders..there really is not much to distinguish them apart as they are run by the municipal government they're located in and all taxes are funneled through the same town hall. With larger cities, different tax districts may be set up though.

If schools are you're priority, then the other towns you mentioned are a far better choice.

[jadedSOUL83]

[quote=glxyman21;1730159]Rowayton is a section of the city of Norwalk, and thus falls within the Norwalk School District. quote]


Interesting...I always thought it was part of Darien. Whenever I traveled the border from Darien to Rowayton, I just assumed it was, plus also on the map it looks like the group it with Darien not Norwalk. Learn something new everyday. Too bad it wasnt in Dariens district, b/c obviously that is a sought after place to put your kids.

Looking upclose on a map now, I never even noticed that it was separated from Darien and Tokeneke by a huge inlet of long island sound haha. Stupid Stupid Stupid.

[outofCT]

First and foremost Rowayton is part of Norwalk by Darien. Second I worked in Norwalk for 10 years as a CPA and was a member of the Norwalk Rotary Club and holding several positions in that and the Chamber. Mo Vaughn, the baseball player for the Red Sox and Mets, was from Norwalk. His father was in fact principal of the high school (not Norwalk High the other one West Rocks I believe ?) We used to make fun of him because he did not send Mo to Norwalk schools, and he could not say he did not want to be in the same school as there was another high school........... Get my drift...??

[jadedSOUL83]

Originally Posted by outofCT

First and foremost Rowayton is part of Norwalk by Darien. Second I worked in Norwalk for 10 years as a CPA and was a member of the Norwalk Rotary Club and holding several positions in that and the Chamber. Mo Vaughn, the baseball player for the Red Sox and Mets, was from Norwalk. His father was in fact principal of the high school (not Norwalk High the other one West Rocks I believe ?) We used to make fun of him because he did not send Mo to Norwalk schools, and he could not say he did not want to be in the same school as there was another high school........... Get my drift...??

the other high school now of days is Brien McMahon. Thats a cool fact. I never knew about his father being the principal there.

[JayCT]

Yes Rowayton is part of Norwalk and thus if you have kids that attend public schools they will be Norwalk schools. Norwalk schools do score lower than the state average on the Connecticut Mastery Tests but their class sizes appear to be reasonable (about 20 students per class). Many people start out in Norwalk but then upgrade to a more desirable town when their finances improve usually making the change before their kids get into middle school. Some send their kids to privates schools though too. Which would be best for you is your choice.

I suggest that if you can not afford a nearby town with better schools and if this is of concern to you, consider Fairfield. It has excellent schools (well above the state average on the Mastery Tests) and a lot of great housing options. It is a little farther from New York but many people I know love it so much once they moved there, they did not leave when their fortunes improved. Just a suggestion. Jay

[outofCT]

Yes thanks for the correction about McMahon HS ( mistook the Stamford other high school); and Mo Vaughn's father was the principal there until the early 90's and he moved to Virginia. Mo's mother was a psych or something for Norwalk too. Mo went to Trinity Pawling in Pawling, NY. Believe it or not he was a All State Hockey Goalie. So if Norwalk's schools were not good enough for Mo?????????

[CTKidGrown]

I grew up in Rowayton, and all I have to say about it is move there! move there! move there!

Yes they are Norwalk schools, the elementary school is good and your children will get exposed to more than just the over-privileged kids that the rest of lower Fairfield county has to offer. I went to the public schools until high school and then I was able to attend a private school. Rowayton Elementary and Roton Middle are good schools and they are no reason not to move to Rowayton. By the time I got to high school and later (a top 50) college I felt that I was ahead of a lot of my classmates in the development of myself as a citizen because I didn't go to an almost all-white, designer label wearing school district.

It all depends what you are looking for in a school district. My parents decided when we moved there that I was going to go to a private high school but Rowayton has so much community to offer that the rest of that area of Connecticut lacks, why wouldn't you want to move there?

[movingnorth2]

we have a 3 yr old and are considering moving to Rowayton from NYC. We'd be ok to move again later but would really like a really good public elementary school.. does anyone one know the current state of the el. school there? tks!

[JayCT]

movingnorth2 - The attached link should give you the information you are requesting on Rowayton School. Test scores look good and class sizes appear reasonable. Hope this helps, Jay

http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/d...5/elema301.pdf